retrieval failure theory

• when info is stored in long term memory but cannot be accessed without cues
• when we store information, we also store contextual situational information
• two types of cues:

  - external: the environment

  - internal: feelings inside, saddness, drunk
• tulving:

  information would be easily accsessed if the ceues associated with learning were present at time of retreival
• baddely asked deep sea divers to memorise a list of words - some udnerwater, some on land
• half the beach learners were asked to recall the lists underwater and the rest on the beach
• results:

  those who recalled in the same environment they learned in remembered 40% more words than those otherwise